What is Augmented Reality?

• A. Immersive real-time simulation.
• B. Technology overlaying digital content on the real world.
• C. A printed catalog.
• D. A streaming service.

Answer: (B)

Augmented Reality is technology that places digital content—such as images, text, 3D models, or interactive elements—on top of what you see in the real world, in real time. You might use a smartphone, tablet, or AR glasses to view the world and have virtual information appear over your surroundings. It’s different from immersive virtual reality, which replaces the real world with a completely simulated one. In practice, AR can let you see additional details about a museum exhibit or thumbnails and information pop up when you point a device at a book or object in a library. This overlay of digital content onto the real environment is what defines augmented reality.